Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 116/2006, 27-28 December, 2006
Editorial
SEPARATION OF NIA FUNCTIONS FROM MILITARY AND POLICE FUNCTIONS
IS DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL ON THE WAY OUT?
On the way out Foroyaa has been informed that measures are being taken to
put an end to the trend of detention without trial which has earned the country
so much bad publicity. The trend can only come if the authorities try to
separate NIA functions from Military and Police functions.
Section 178 of the constitution establishes a police force and asserted that
the police shall be equipped and maintained to perform its traditional role
of maintaining law and order and such other function as may he prescribed by
an act of the National Assembly.”
Section 186 of the constitution established the Armed Forces of The Gambia.
It states that the Armed Forces shall be equipped and maintained to perform
their role of defence of the Gambia as well as such other functions for the
development of The Gambia as provided in this constitution.
Those functions are spelt out in section 187 which states that “the
principal functions of the Armed Forces are:
(a) To preserve and defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of The
Gambia
(b) To aid the civil authorities at their request in emergencies as in the
case of National disasters”.
The provision emphasises among other things that “it shall be the duty of
the members of the Armed Forces to request for the fundermental rights and
freedoms of other persons”.
Section 191 established the National Intelligence Agency under the direct
command of the president.
The functions of the NIA are:
(a) obtain and provide the government with information relating to
actions or intentions of persons which may be a threat to state security;
(b) protect the security of the stat, generally, and in particular,
protect the state against threats from espionage,terrorism,and activities relating
to sabortage undertaken by Gambians or foreigners, agents of foreign
powers,organisations or institutions;
(c) take adequate precautions to protect the state against actions which
may undermine the government or led to the overthrow of the government
through industrial, violent or other means;
(d) take necessary measures to safeguard the welfare and economic
wellbeing of the persons living in The Gambia, against threats posed by internal or
external aggressors;
(e) investigate and obtain information relating to the prevention or
detection of serious or economic crime; and
(f) undertake such assignment as may be assign to it by council.
Hence the proper thing for the NIA to do is to restrict it self to gathering
information which it can pass to the military intelligence when it deals
with threats to national security and to the police when it deals with law
enforcement issues.
This will free the NIA headquarters of detainees and makes it unnecessary to
take a person to such headquarters. They could conduct investigations of
matters with the police and armed forces.
The separation of functions is absolutely essential to change the image of
the NIA.
Treason Suspect Released
Ousman Sey, a treason suspect who was incarcerated at the Maximum Wing of
the Mile Two Central Prison, has been released by the authorities.
Sey, a Koranic teacher, was arrested shortly after the alleged coup plot led
by Colonel Ndure Cham.
Sey who testified in the treason trial involving Alieu Jobe and others, said
that the latter had informed him that Colonel Ndure Cham and other soldiers
wanted to overthrow the Government, but they have failed. He also told the
court that Alieu Jobe had informed him that he had a sleepless night and that
he is worried.
Two other treason suspects, namely Alieu Lowe and Mustapha Lowe have
testified as prosecution witnesses. But the testimony of Alieu Lowe has been
expunged from the court’s records following an application by the prosecution.
SoS Gaye Answers Halifa Sallah’s Question On Ocean Bay
Halifa Sallah asked the Secretary of State for Finance to state the annual
profit of Ocean Bay Hotel and how much it has paid as dividends to Social
Security.
The Secretary of State indicated that the profit for the financial year
ending 30th September 2006 is Three million, nine hundred and twenty seven
thousand dalasi (D3, 927,000) but then no dividend has been paid yet.
He was quick to indicate that the profit is unaudited.
He indicated that this is so because the hotel is in its early years of
operations.
Asked what the law says about the auditing of the accounts of the hotel, he
said that it should be done within three months of the end of the financial
year of the company. Asked when the financial year of Ocean Bay comes to an
end; the Secretary of State confirmed that it should have come to an end in
September. At this point he promised that he will order the auditing of the
accounts of Ocean Bay.
Editor’s Note
Until the accounts are audited the information of the Secretary of State
should be taken with a grain of salt. The Purchase of Ocean Bay and its
refurbishing for a sum of 345 million dalasi will not be defensible until dividend is
paid annually to Social Security to offset its investment.
NAYCONF 7th EDITION END IN BRIKAMA
By Modou Jonga
The 7th edition of the national youth conference and festival ended on
Sunday 24th December at Bottrop Senior Junior Secondary School ground in Brikama.
This one week national youth forum has gathered over one thousand five
hundred delegates from the various regions of the country. As part of this biennial
youth gathering was a three days conference of youth representatives from
the various region to wrap up with achievable and tangible resolutions and
recommendations to be implemented by the government. The theme of the conference
was’ Youth Empowerment and Effective Participation in Nation Building’.
The NAYCONF resolutions and recommendations which were read in front of
participants by the Former Chairperson of the National Youth Society, Mr.
Mustapha Kebbeh, were endorsed by participants at the 7th NAYCONF on the 22nd
December, 2006.
The 2006 NAYCONF resolutions and recommendations were finally handed over to
the Secretary of State for Youth, Sports and Religious Affairs, Sheikh Omar
Faye, by the chairperson of the National Youth Council. A lobby and task
force made up of youths was set up to monitor the implementation of the
resolutions
In his sending off remarks, the Governor of Western Region Governor, Abdou
FM Badjie, described this year’s National Youth Conference and festival as a
success and memorable one. The Governor further commended individuals,
parastatals, local oganising and National organizing committees for the part played
in making the youth forum a success.
Medals and trophies were presented to outstanding regions for a wide range
of sporting events. In his closing remarks, the SoS for Youth and Sports,
urged the participants to plan ahead with discipline and hard work. SoS Faye on
behalf of the President further expressed appreciation to all stakeholders for
the contributions in the build up to the national youth forum to the end.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Buba Darboe, Chairperson of the
Western region youth committee. It was also officially announced that the North
Bank region will be host to the 8th National Youth Conference and Festival.
The reports added that Farafenni has been identified as the host town for
the biennial youth forum. Participants from the North Bank Region, were thus
further urged to prepared well in ensuring water and electricity supply
throughout the NAYCONF, accommodation for all delegates, sites for all events,
cooking points, Bath places and Toilet facilities for delegates.
POOR ATTENDANCE LEADS TO ADJOURNMENT OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
By Bubacarr K. Sowe
The speaker of the National Assembly, Belinda Bidwell, on Wednesday, the
20th December 2006 deferred the sittings of the House to 27th December. Mrs.
Bidwell had asked the Members whether the assembly can make a quorum, and
requested for the counting of members . It was later discovered that there were
twenty five (25) members.Following this development, the Honourable Speaker told
the assembly that according to the constitution it is twenty six (26)
members that can make a quorum and which they didn’t have then.
Out of fifty three seats in the National Assembly, three are currently
vacant. The seat for Wuli East has no representation at the parliament following
the expulsion of Duta Kamaso from the APRC Party, the member for Niani, Demba
Dem is facing a treason trial, while the Jeswang Member, Mam Mbye Seck,
passed away recently.
Similarly, there was no sitting of the Parliament on January when the APRC
Party was having its selection of candidates for the forthcoming National
Assembly election.
Reacting to the poor attendance by members, Halifa Sallah, Minority Leader
and member for Serrekunda Central, said the failure of about twenty five
members to come to parliament is complete negligence of duty and a demonstration
of disregard for the national interest.
Mr. Sallah said that the APRC members are having ample time to do their
selection, and therefore should give priority to the Appropriation Bill, which
according to the constitution should be discussed by Parliament within seven
days after its presentation.
“It should be given priority, but as you can see, it is not. A party is
meeting to do their selection and January 2nd is the nomination, so clearly you
have ample time. What is happening essentially is complete negligence and
ignoring of the national interest. This reflects that there is no seriousness in
the Government that is running the affairs of this country,” Sallah told
journalists. The Minority Leader and Member for Upper Fulladu, Churchill Baldeh,
said they do not have much to do in the absence of a quorum. Mr. Baldeh
assured that they will continue with the Appropriation Bill on the 27th of
December.
Court to Deliver Judgment On APRC Supporter Case
Modou Jonga
The judgment on the assault case involving Alimamo Gibba and the state is
set for 16th January 2006.
The accused, Alimamo Gibba, a supporter of the APRC, entered his defence on
Tuesday 19th December 2006 at the Brikama Magistrate Court.
The accused is said to have pelted the complainant, Oley Touray, a supporter
of the United Democratic Party, with a stone on the 15th May 2006 at Pirang
village, in Kombo East when supporters of the APRC were celebrating their
victory in the by-election.
The court has heard the testimonies of the complainant, Lamin R. Darboe (the
defeated UDP candidate in the Kombo East by election) and Seargeant Bunja
Darboe who is attached to the Brikama Police Station. The Police prosecutor is
ASP Tijan Badjie.
UNDP Supports Electoral Process
UNDP Partner with the IEC, DFID, and the EC in support of the role of civil
society in the electoral process in The Gambia.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has, within the framework of
its project “Support to the electoral process in The Gambia”, and in close
cooperation with the Independent Electoral Commission signed contracts with
Gambian civil society organizations and the National Council for Civic
Education to carry out election related activities,
The National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) has been awarded a grant to
undertake voter education activities for the National Assembly elections,
through the grant the NCCE will conduct voter education activities in the entire
country including drama plays and radio talk shows.
The CSO Coalition on election The Gambia has been awarded one grant to
conduct voter education and another to train domestic election observers. Through
the grant for voter education the CSO Coalition will undertake activities
such as focus group meetings, village meetings and meetings with local
councilors and opinion leaders. The training of domestic election observers will
enable the CSO coalition to enlarge the number of observers and build on the
successful domestic election observation conducted during the’ presidential
elections,
The National Youth Parliament and the Youth Ambassadors of Peace have both
been awarded grants to undertake voter education activities particularly aimed
at the Youth, The National Youth Parliament will carry out activities such
as meetings in school, drama shows and concerts. The Youth Ambassadors of
Peace will hold sensitization workshops and voter education rallies.
Finally, the Gambia Press Union has been awarded a grant to survey the media
coverage of electoral activities for both the pre- and post election’s
periods.
The grants are a very important milestone and it is hoped that this will
contribute towards building capacity of civil society to participate in the
electoral process; It’s a step on the road to successful parliamentary elections
and a further deepening of The Gambia’s democratization process
The l.5 million dollar project of support to the electoral process in The
Gambia is funded by the European Commission, the Department for International
Development (DFID) and the UNDP itself.
MEDIA AND GENDER STRATEGY MEETING FOR WEST AFRICA HELD AT HOTEL NDIAMBOUR,
DAKAR, SENEGAL, DECEMBER 18, 19 AND 20, 2006
The 16 ECOWAS Countries were invited, only 9 country representatives showed
up.
Introduction: The Gender Audit being carried out aims to indicate the status
of gender equality and equity within five categories of media. These
categories are
(1) Journalist Unions and or Associations
(2) Media Houses such as Newspapers, Radio and TV.
(3) Media Regulatory Bodies.
(4) Media NGOs that work in the area of Media and Development
(5) Media Training Institutions
The strategy conference was opened by the Minister of Information of The
Republic of Senegal, Bacar Dia. The welcome remarks were given by Gabriel Ayite
Baglo, Africa Regional Director of the International Federation of
Journalist, IFJ;
Statement was made by Bernadette Cole, IFJ Coordinator for West Africa;
Secretary General of West African Journalist Association and SYNPICS and member
of the IFJ Executive Committee, Diatou Cisse BADIANE made a statement;
Statement was made by Amie Joof-Cole, Executive Director of FAMEDEV, the
inter Africa Network for Women, Media, Gender Equality and Development.
At the end of the three days deliberations, the conference came out with
this communiqué in French and English.
Twenty seven participants from the West African sub-region as well as
regional representatives from Central, North and Southern Africa, have been
deliberating upon four thematic issues that centered on.
Ø Governance in the media;
Ø Growth and development within media unions and associations;
Ø Media regulatory bodies, media training institutions and
organisations;
The participants at the conference on Media and Gender strategy for West
Africa having deliberated on the outcome of the audit report came up with an
action plan which spells out the following:
1. The need to include gender studies in the educational
curriculum from the nursery to the university level.
2. For the media institutions and associations to collaborate
with government line ministries in formulating gender policies within the
context of the media.
3. Media institutions, Unions and associations should formulate
comprehensive regional gender sensitive policy that would serve as a guiding
tool to the unions and associations in the interest of gender equality and
equity.
4. Women in media institutions should be granted more
opportunities for training in relation to career development and skills acquisition.
5. The need to ensure that journalists work in conducive
environments which guarantees their security as well as reviewing the collective
agreements to promote gender concerns in the work place.
6. The need to launch a campaign to sensitize all strata of
society on gender.
7. The need to review all statutes and constitutions of media
institutions and organisations to incorporate a quota system to achieve gender
balance.
8. The need to conduct research and documentation on success
stories of women journalists and establish a database on women in media and
gender.
9. The need to review collective agreements to promote gender
concerns in particular women specific issues in the work place taking into
consideration the triple role female journalists as a mother, wife and a
professional.
10. To launch campaign and advocacy at the national and
international level to sensitise the general public, decision makers and all journalists
on gender related issues.
11. The need to establish media awards for excellence in gender
reporting to generate interest in gender and to build the capacity of
journalists in their area of reporting.
The conference has set up a five person gender working group for West Africa
charged with the responsibility of monitoring the Action Plan. The
conference therefore calls on the IFJ, Journalist Trade Unions and Associations, Media
Institutions and Organisations to ensure that the plan of action is
implemented within a specific time frame.
The conference was closed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women and
Family Affairs on behalf of the Minister, Mrs. Aida Mbodj.
Amie Sillah, a Foroyaa Editor, Gender focal point and activist and Madi
Ceesay, Gambia Press Union President attended the conference on behalf of The
Gambia.
Burris Devanney Retires as NSGA Executive Director
In a press release, the staff of the Nova Scotia - Gambia Association
announced the retirement of its founding Executive Director effective December 31,
2006. After 20 years leading the NSGA and nearly 14 years of continuous
residence in The Gambia, Burris Devanney and his wife and co-worker Louanne will
be returning to their home in Halifax, NS, Canada.
In a statement released by Ansumana Dibba, NSGA’s National Program
Coordinator, he said that “Buris Devanney may best be remembered in Gambia for four
ideas that have had an immense impact on the lives of young people:
* the Saint Mary’s University Extension Program which he initiated,
developed and managed over five years and through which for the first time Gambians
had access to university education at home;
* the school-based Peer Health Education Program that has become established
in virtually every secondary school in the country and has equipped young
Gambians with the knowledge, skills and self-confidence to take responsibility
for their own health and turn back the threat of HIV/AIDS;
* the development of youth drama troupes working for NSGA as full-time
community educators and animators, bringing vital health information to adults and
children in the most remote villages of the country - and giving leadership
to the struggle to defeat HIV/AIDS;
* the implementation of “cinema under the stars” - NSGA’s large screen,
outdoor video presentations featuring dramas on vital health issues in Gambian
languages that have, thus far, reached more than 150 villages and 100,000
persons in all regions of the country.
Mr. Dibba said that the Devanneys will also be greatly missed in Sierra
Leone where NSGA has built a parallel set of programs utilizing the Peer Health
Education model that has worked so well in The Gambia.
Mr. Dibba remarked that “the work will go forward in both countries. Our
West African staff is trained, robust. youthful and experienced. They are
enthusiastic about their work and committed to improving the lives of children,
youths and adults in remote rural villages as well as in the urban areas.”
Mr Devanney wrote in a letter, “Still the greatest honour for Louanne and me
knows that the work of this organization will continue through the years to
come, driven by the commitment and integrity of those Gambians and Sierra
Leoneans who have been working so closely with us over the years.”
Buris Devanney is an educator and administrator who has worked in Canada,
Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia and Sierra Leone. He is a co-founder with
his wife Louanne of the Nova Scotia - Gambia Association (NSGA), a
development NGO which has carried out successful and innovative development programs,
primarily in the education sector, in Canada, The Gambia and Sierra Leone
since 1986. At the time of his retirement in December 2006 he was managing a
staff of more than 100 in the three countries. Burris and Louanne, also a teacher
by profession, have individually or jointly directed or overseen more than
30 programs or projects over the years, including the conception and
implementation of nationwide school- and community-based health education and HIV/AIDS
prevention programs in The Gambia and Sierra Leone and a University
Extension Program in The Gambia.
The nationwide impact of NSGA’s work in primary, secondary and tertiary
education in The Gambia and Sierra Leone under Buris Devanney’s leadership has
been widely acknowledged, the release noted
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